Wavelength converted light emittting device

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer. The semiconductor structure is attached to a support such that the semiconductor structure and the support are mechanically self-supporting. A wavelength converting material extends over the sides of the semiconductor structure and the support, wherein the wavelength converting material has a substantially uniform thickness over the top and sides of the semiconductor structure and the support.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a wavelength-converted semiconductorlight emitting device on a chip-scale package.

2. Description of Related Art

Semiconductor light-emitting devices including light emitting diodes(LEDs), resonant cavity light emitting diodes (RCLEDs), vertical cavitylaser diodes such as surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), and edge emittinglasers are among the most efficient light sources currently available.Materials systems currently of interest in the manufacture ofhigh-brightness light emitting devices capable of operation across thevisible spectrum include Group III-V semiconductors, particularlybinary, ternary, and quaternary alloys of gallium, aluminum, indium, andnitrogen, also referred to as III-nitride materials. Typically,III-nitride light emitting devices are fabricated by epitaxially growinga stack of semiconductor layers of different compositions and dopantconcentrations on a sapphire, silicon carbide, III-nitride, or othersuitable substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD),molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), or other epitaxial techniques. The stackoften includes one or more n-type layers doped with, for example, Si,formed over the substrate, one or more light emitting layers in anactive region formed over the n-type layer or layers, and one or morep-type layers doped with, for example, Mg, formed over the activeregion. Electrical contacts are formed on the n- and p-type regions.

III-nitride light emitting devices often emit blue or UV light. To forman LED that emits white light, one or more wavelength convertingmaterials such as phosphors are often disposed in the path of the blueor UV light emitted from the LED. For example, for an LED that emitsblue light, a single phosphor that emits yellow light may be used, ortwo phosphors that emit green and red light may be used. Some of thelight emitted by the LED is wavelength-converted by the phosphor. Thewavelength-converted light emitted by the phosphor mixes withunconverted light emitted by the LED such that the overall appearance oflight from the device is white.

FIG. 1 illustrates a process for forming a wavelength-converted lightemitting device mounted on a chip-scale package, described in moredetail in US 2010/0279437. A chip-scale package refers to a package forthe light emitting device that is attached to the semiconductor lightemitting device structure in a wafer-scale process. In process 102 ofFIG. 1, LEDs are formed on a growth wafer. In process 104, a carrierwafer is temporarily bonded to the device wafer. A removable adhesive isfirst applied over the top of the device wafer then a carrier wafer isbonded to the top of the device wafer. In process 106, the device waferis flipped over and the growth wafer is removed. In process 108, then-type layer exposed by removing the growth wafer is roughened toimprove light extraction. In process 110, a window wafer is bonded tothe device wafer. The window wafer provides mechanical strength to thedevice wafer for subsequent processing. The window wafer may include awavelength converting structure for modifying the emission spectrum toprovide a desired color such as amber for signal lights or multiplecolors for a white light emitter. The structure may be a ceramicphosphor, a suitable transparent substrate or carrier such as a sapphireor glass layer, or a filter such as a distributed Bragg reflector. Inprocess 112, the carrier wafer is removed from the device wafer. Inprocess 114, the device wafer is mounted from the bottom side to astretch film. The stretch film may be a blue tape, a white tape, a UVtape, or other suitable materials that allows adhesion to a flexible(expandable) substrate. In process 116, the LEDs in the device wafer aresingulated into individual dice, for example using a laser, a scribe, ora saw. The LED dice may have edge emission that degradescolor-over-angle uniformity. In process 118, the stretch film isexpanded to laterally separate the LED dice to create the spaces betweenneighboring dice. In process 120, a reflective coating is applied overthe tops of the LEDs and in the spaces between them. In process 122, thereflective coating in the spaces between the LED dice is optionallybroken or weakened (e.g., cleaved). In process 124, the stretch film isexpanded again to further laterally separate the LED dice. In process126, portions of the reflective coating on the top of the LED dice isremoved. Afterwards only portions of the reflective coating on the sidesof the LED dice remains. Portions of the reflective coating on the sidesof the LED dice may control edge emission, improve color-over-angleuniformity, and improve brightness. In process 128, the LEDs are flippedover and transferred to another stretch film to expose n-type bond padsand p-type bond pads on the LED dice for testing in process 130.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the invention to provide a wavelength converted lightemitting device where leakage of unconverted light from the sides of thelight emitting device is reduced or eliminated.

Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor structurecomprising a light emitting layer. The semiconductor structure isattached to a support such that the semiconductor structure and thesupport are mechanically self-supporting. A wavelength convertingmaterial extends over the sides of the semiconductor structure and thesupport. In some embodiments, the thickness of the wavelength convertingmaterial varies less than 20% over the top and sides of thesemiconductor structure and the support.

A method according to embodiments of the invention includes attaching aplurality of light emitting devices to a substrate. Each light emittingdevice includes a support attached to a semiconductor structurecomprising a light emitting layer. Each light emitting device ismechanically self-supporting. Neighboring devices are spaced apart onthe substrate. A wavelength converting material is disposed over theplurality of light emitting devices. The wavelength converting materialextends over the sides of each semiconductor structure and support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a method of forming a wavelength-converted LED.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of forming a wavelength-converted lightemitting device according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor structure attachedto a support.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a reconstituted wafer.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a wavelength-converted lightemitting device according to embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a structure formed by the method illustrated in FIG. 1, leakage ofunconverted light from the sides of a chip-scale packaged light emittingdevice is prevented or reduced by forming a reflective material on thesides of the light emitting device. In embodiments of the invention,wavelength converting material rather than a reflective material isformed on the sides of a chip-scale packaged light emitting device.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of forming a wavelength-convertedsemiconductor light emitting device according to embodiments of theinvention. Though in the discussion below the semiconductor lightemitting devices are III-nitride LEDs that emit blue or UV light,semiconductor light emitting devices besides LEDs such as laser diodesand semiconductor light emitting devices made from other materialssystems such as other III-V materials, III-phosphide, III-arsenide,II-VI materials, ZnO, or Si-based materials may be used.

In stage 10, a wafer of semiconductor devices attached to a mechanicalsupport is prepared. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of awafer of semiconductor light emitting devices attached to a support. Toform the structure of FIG. 3, a semiconductor structure 20 is firstgrown on a growth substrate (not shown in FIG. 3) as is known in theart. The growth substrate may be any suitable substrate such as, forexample, sapphire, SiC, Si, GaN, or composite substrates. Thesemiconductor structure 20 includes a light emitting or active regionsandwiched between n- and p-type regions. An n-type region may be grownfirst and may include multiple layers of different compositions anddopant concentration including, for example, preparation layers such asbuffer layers or nucleation layers, and/or layers designed to facilitateremoval of the growth substrate, which may be n-type or notintentionally doped, and n- or even p-type device layers designed forparticular optical, material, or electrical properties desirable for thelight emitting region to efficiently emit light. A light emitting oractive region is grown over the n-type region. Examples of suitablelight emitting regions include a single thick or thin light emittinglayer, or a multiple quantum well light emitting region includingmultiple thin or thick light emitting layers separated by bather layers.A p-type region may then be grown over the light emitting region. Likethe n-type region, the p-type region may include multiple layers ofdifferent composition, thickness, and dopant concentration, includinglayers that are not intentionally doped, or n-type layers. The totalthickness of all the semiconductor material in the device is less than10 μm in some embodiments and less than 6 μm in some embodiments.

A metal p-contact is formed on the p-type region. If a majority of lightis directed out of the semiconductor structure through a surfaceopposite the p-contact, such as in a flip chip device, the p-contact maybe reflective. A flip chip device may be formed by patterning thesemiconductor structure by standard photolithographic operations andetching the semiconductor structure to remove a portion of the entirethickness of the p-type region and a portion of the entire thickness ofthe light emitting region, to form a mesa which reveals a surface of then-type region on which a metal n-contact is formed. The mesa and p- andn-contacts may be formed in any suitable manner. Forming the mesa and p-and n-contacts is well known to a person of skill in the art and is notillustrated in FIG. 3. In the regions between devices, the semiconductorstructure 20 is etched down to an insulating layer, which may be aninsulating semiconductor layer that is part of the semiconductorstructure 20, or the growth substrate.

The p- and n-contacts may be redistributed by a stack of insulatinglayers and metals as is known in the art to form at least two largeelectrical pads. One of the electrical pads is electrically connected tothe p-type region of the semiconductor structure 20 and the other of theelectrical pads is electrically connected to the n-type region of thesemiconductor structure 20. Electrical pads may be any suitableconductive material including, for example, copper, gold, and alloys.The electrical pads are electrically isolated from each other by a gapwhich may be filled with an insulating material such as a dielectric,air, or other ambient gas. The p- and n-contacts, the metal/dielectricstack to redistribute the contacts, and the electrical pads are wellknown in the art and are illustrated in FIG. 3 as electrical connectionstructure 22.

The semiconductor structure 20 is connected to a support 24 throughelectrical connection structure 22. Support 24 is a structure thatmechanically supports semiconductor structure 20 and that is diced atthe same time as semiconductor structure 20, when the wafer of devicesis divided into individual or groups of devices. Support 24 is attachedto semiconductor structure 20 on a wafer scale. In some embodiments,support 24 is a self-supporting structure suitable to attach thesemiconductor light emitting device to a substrate such as a PC board.For example, the surface of support 24 opposite semiconductor structure20 (the bottom surface of support 24 in FIG. 3) may bereflow-solderable. Any suitable support may be used. Examples ofsuitable supports 24 include (1) an insulating or semi-insulating waferwith conductive vias for forming electrical connections to theelectrical connection structure 22, such as a silicon wafer, which maybe attached to the semiconductor structure by, for example, gold-goldinterconnects, (2) thick metal bonding pads formed on electricalconnection structure 22, for example by plating, or (3) any othersuitable mount.

In stage 12 of FIG. 2, the individual semiconductor devices on the waferillustrated in FIG. 3 are tested to identify good devices, andoptionally to identify characteristics of each device, such as the peakemission wavelength, brightness, etc. The wafer including thesemiconductor structure 20, electrical connection structure 22, andsupport 24 is then diced, to divide the wafer into individual devices orgroups of devices. In some embodiments, the growth substrate is removedfrom the semiconductor structure before dicing, as is known in the art.In some embodiments, the growth substrate remains part of the finalstructure and is therefore diced at the same time as the semiconductorstructure. In some embodiments, the semiconductor structure is dicedwith the growth substrate still attached, then the growth substrate islater removed at a die-level rather than a wafer level. Dicing can beperformed by any suitable method such as scribe-and-break with a laserscribe or sawing and is well known in the art. Since the semiconductorstructure 20, connection structure 22 and support 24 are diced at thesame time, support 24 is substantially the same width as thesemiconductor structure 20 for each device or group of devices, asillustrated below in FIG. 5. The device may have substantially verticalsidewalls, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In stage 14, a reconstituted wafer of devices is formed. A reconstitutedwafer is illustrated in FIG. 4. Individual devices or groups of devices26 diced in stage 12 are connected to a substrate 28. Substrate 28 canbe any suitable structure that supports devices 26, such as aninflexible structure such as a board or a flexible structure such aswafer handling tape, for example. In some embodiments, only known gooddevices, based on the test described above in reference to stage 12, areconnected to substrate 28 in the reconstituted wafer. Since devicetesting is done before wavelength converting material is applied instage 16 and only good devices are used, no wavelength convertingmaterial is wasted on bad devices (i.e. nonfunctional ornon-light-emitting devices), which may reduce cost. In some embodiments,based on the test described above in reference to stage 12, only devicesthat emit light within the same peak wavelength range are connected tosubstrate 28 in the reconstituted wafer, such that the wavelengthconverting material can be matched to the peak emission wavelength ofthe devices, which may improve yield. For example, a suitable peakwavelength range may be as narrow as 5 nm in some embodiments. In someembodiments, the wafer of devices is attached to handling tape, dicedwhile attached to the handling tape, then the reconstituted wafer isformed by stretching the handling tape to separate the devices afterdicing.

In some embodiments, the spacing 30 between devices 26 on thereconstituted wafer is at least as wide as required to cleave thewavelength converting material formed over the wafer, described below.In some embodiments, the spacing may be wide enough to create anoverhang 38 (illustrated in FIG. 5) of wavelength converting material onthe sides of the devices. The overhang may be, for example, at least asthick as the wavelength converting material layer, or it may be wider ornarrower. The dotted lines 32 on FIG. 4 show where the wavelengthconverting material layer is cleaved to separate the devices on thereconstituted wafer, described below in stage 18. In one example, thewavelength converting material layer is 50 μm thick. The spacing 30between devices 26 may be at least 100 μm, such that the overhang ofwavelength converting material on the sides of each device 26 is atleast 50 μm. In some embodiments, the devices are spaced such that nooverhang 38 is created.

In some embodiments, the aspect ratio of the reconstituted wafer isselected to match the shape of a pre-fabricated wavelength convertingfilm. For example, the wafer which is diced in stage 12 is typically around wafer. The reconstituted wafer formed in stage 14 may berectangular, sized to match a rectangular sheet of pre-fabricatedwavelength-converting film.

In stage 16 of FIG. 2, a wavelength-converting material is applied overthe devices 26 on the reconstituted wafer. The wavelength convertingmaterial may be formed such that all or only a portion of the lightemitted by the light emitting device and incident on the wavelengthconverting material may be converted by the wavelength convertingmaterial. Unconverted light emitted by the light emitting device may bepart of the final spectrum of light, though it need not be. Examples ofcommon combinations include a blue-emitting LED combined with ayellow-emitting wavelength converting material, a blue-emitting LEDcombined with green- and red-emitting wavelength converting materials, aUV-emitting LED combined with blue- and yellow-emitting wavelengthconverting material, and a UV-emitting LED combined with blue-, green-,and red-emitting wavelength converting materials. Wavelength convertingmaterials emitting other colors of light may be added to tailor thespectrum of light emitted from the device. The wavelength convertingmaterial may be conventional phosphor particles, organic semiconductors,II-VI or III-V semiconductors, II-VI or III-V semiconductor quantum dotsor nanocrystals, dyes, polymers, or materials such as GaN thatluminesce. Phosphor particles may have an average diameter between 5 and50 μm in some embodiments. Any suitable phosphor may be used, includingbut not limited to garnet-based phosphors such as Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce (YAG),Lu₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce (LuAG), Y₃Al_(5-x)Ga_(x)O₁₂:Ce (YAlGaG),(Ba_(1-x)Sr_(x))SiO₃:Eu (BOSE), and nitride-based phosphors such as(Ca,Sr)AlSiN₃:Eu and (Ca,Sr,Ba)₂Si₅N₈:Eu.

The wavelength converting material is formed to conformally coat devices26 on the reconstituted wafer with a substantially uniform thickness.For example, the thickness of the wavelength converting material overthe top and sides of each device and between devices may vary less than50% in some embodiments, less than 20% in some embodiments, and lessthan 10% in some embodiments. One example of a wavelength convertingmaterial is a luminescent film, formed as follows: one or moreconventional powder phosphors are mixed with a binder such as acrylic orsilicone to achieve a target phosphor density. The phosphor/binder sheetis formed to have a target thickness, for example by spinning themixture on a flat surface or molding the phosphor sheet. Phosphor may bemixed with a binder in liquid form which is then cured or dried to forma flexible luminescent film. The luminescent film is pressed over thereconstituted wafer in stage 16. In some embodiments, wavelengthconverting material is molded over devices 26, for example by placing amold over devices 26, filling the mold with phosphor mixed with bindermaterial, curing the binder material, then removing the mold.

Other optional materials such as filters, dichroics, optics, or lensesmay be formed over devices 26 on the reconstituted wafer, before orafter the wavelength converting material is formed over devices 26.

In stage 18 of FIG. 2, the wavelength converting material formed overthe reconstituted wafer is cleaved to separate the devices or groups ofdevices 26. FIG. 5 illustrates a single device after being separatedfrom the reconstituted wafer in stage 18. Wavelength converting material34 covers the top and sides of semiconductor structure 20 and support 24to prevent leakage of unconverted light from the sides of semiconductorstructure 20. The width of optional overhang 38 on the sides of device26 depends on the spacing on the reconstituted wafer, as describedabove.

The embodiments described above may have advantages over the methodillustrated in FIG. 1. Cleaving a wavelength converting material instage 18 of FIG. 2 (such as a 50 μm thick phosphor and silicone film forexample) is easier than cleaving a semiconductor wafer, carrier wafer,and ceramic phosphor as described above in process 116 of FIG. 1. Inaddition, in embodiments of the invention only known good die arecovered with wavelength converting material. Ease of cleaving and usingonly known good devices may improve yield and reduce cost.

Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art willappreciate that, given the present disclosure, modifications may be madeto the invention without departing from the spirit of the inventiveconcept described herein. Therefore, it is not intended that the scopeof the invention be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated anddescribed.

1. A device comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising a lightemitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region; ametal n-contact disposed on the n-type region and a metal p-contactdisposed on p-type region; a support, wherein the semiconductorstructure is attached to the support through at least one ofthen-contact and the p-contact such that the semiconductor structure andthe support are mechanically self-supporting; and a wavelengthconverting material extending over the sides of the semiconductorstructure and the support wherein the wavelength converting material isa phosphor powder mixed with a transparent binder material in apre-fabricated sheet.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein a thickness ofthe wavelength converting material varies less than 20% over the top andsides of the semiconductor structure and the support.
 3. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the n-contact and the p-contact are formed on the sameside of the semiconductor structure.
 4. The device of claim 1 whereinthe support comprises thick metal pads disposed on the semiconductorstructure.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the support comprises asilicon wafer.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein a structure comprisingthe semiconductor structure and the support has substantially verticalsidewalls.
 7. (canceled)
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the wavelengthconverting sheet extends outward from a bottom of the support.
 9. Amethod comprising: attaching a plurality of light emitting devices to asubstrate, each light emitting device comprising a support attached to asemiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer, wherein eachlight emitting device is mechanically self-supporting and neighboringdevices are spaced apart on the substrate; disposing a wavelengthconverting material over the plurality of light emitting devices,wherein the wavelength converting material extends over the sides ofeach semiconductor structure and support wherein disposing a wavelengthconverting material over the plurality of light emitting devicescomprises pressing a pre-fabricated sheet of phosphor disposed intransparent binder material over the plurality of light emittingdevices.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein each light emitting devicehas substantially vertical sidewalls.
 11. The method of claim 9 furthercomprising: attaching supports to a wafer of semiconductor structures toform a wafer of light emitting devices; testing each light emittingdevice on the wafer of light emitting devices; and dicing the wafer oflight emitting devices.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein attaching aplurality of light emitting devices to a substrate comprises attachingonly light emitting devices that meet a predetermined criterion.
 13. Themethod of claim 12 wherein the predetermined criterion is peak emissionwavelength range and disposing a wavelength converting materialcomprises disposing a wavelength converting material that is matched tothe peak emission wavelength range.
 14. The method of claim 9 whereinattaching a plurality of light emitting devices to a substratecomprises: attaching a wafer of light emitting devices to handling tape;dicing the wafer into a plurality of light emitting devices; andstretching the handling tape to space the plurality of light emittingdevices apart before disposing the wavelength converting material overthe plurality of light emitting devices.
 15. The method of claim 9wherein disposing a wavelength converting material over the plurality oflight emitting devices comprises molding wavelength converting materialover each light emitting device.
 16. (canceled)
 17. The method of claim9 wherein disposing a wavelength converting material over the pluralityof light emitting devices comprises forming a wavelength convertingmaterial with a substantially uniform thickness over the top and sidesof the semiconductor structure and the support.